Anti-splash shield for paint pans



July 9, 1957 H. L. F REUND ANTI-SPLASH SHIELD FOR PAINT FANS Filed March 15, 1955 2,798,239 Patented July 9, 1957 ANTI-SPLASH SHELD FUR PAINT FANS Henry L. Freund, Chicago, Ell. Application March 15, 1955, Serial N 0. 494,467

Claims. (Cl. 15-121.3)

This invention relates to anti-splash shields for paint pans used in connection with paint rollers.

In the use of paint rollers for applying paint to a wall surface or the like, it is customary to supply a paint roller journalled at the end of a handle and so arranged that by means, of the handle the roller may be rolled in a shallow paint-containing pan to absorb paint, which is then applied to the desired surface by the roller. As the roller is rolled in the pan to absorb paint, it is not unusual for the roller to set the liquid paint in the pan into motion such that the paint ahead of the roller splashes out of the pan as the roller approaches the end of the pan. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an anti-splash shield for use on the pan which will prevent outward splashing of the paint from the pan as the roller is rolled in the pan. It is a further object ofthe present invention to provide such a shield which is so arranged that it may be moved on the pan surface from one position where it serves to prevent splashing of the paint during use of theroller to an alternate position when the pan is not in. use for painting purposes but is used as a place for the storage of the roller. In this alternate position the shield serves to hold the paint roller in the pan, thus keeping the two in assembly. This is important during the merchandising of the paint roller and pan assembly and is also impor-' tant during the storage of the unit between uses thereof.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of apaint roller and paint pan assembly embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the roller being shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of Fig. 1, illustrating the anti-splash use of the shield of the present invention.

Reference may now be had to the drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout.

At 1 there is shown a conventional paint applying roller located within a paint pan 2 as it would appear during merchandising of the product or during storage of the product. The paint applying roller may be any conventional structure, for instance, as shown in United States Patents Nos. 2,545,700 or 2,411,842, and may comprise a paint applying cylinder 4 having an outer surface of pile fabric, wool, or the like, or sponge or foam rubber overlaid by a fabric sleeve. The cylinder 4 is journalled on a rod 5 that terminates in a handle 6.

The pan 2 is an open top pan which may be made of sheet metal and includes a bottom having tapered longitudinal side walls 11 and 12, a narrow front wall 13 and a wider rear wall 14, all of which may comprise one sheet of metal. Around the top of the side walls and front and rear walls the metal is bent to form a curl 16 which projects outwardly as an outwardly extending flange and serves not only to stiffen the pan but also as a track .for the anti-splash shield which is to be more fully de- 5 scribed as this specification proceeds. The pan is provided with a pair of legs 18-18 so arranged that they may be attached to a part of a conventional stop ladder for holding the pan with the top thereof almost horizon- .tal so that the paint therein tends to accumulate toward the rear wall 14 where the paint is at its maximum depth.

The pan thus far described is a conventional pan for paint rollers. An anti-splash shield or retaining band is indicated at 22. This shield comprises "a piece of sheet material such as, for instance, sheet metal, which extends across the top of the pan and rests on and rides along the flanges 16-16 at the top of the side walls 11 and 12. The shield 22 has a fold 23 along each side thereof which folds closely embrace and underlie the flanges 16-16 of the side walls 11-12. The shield may he slid longitudinally along the top of the pan, even to a position off of the pan, by a continuous movement past the front or rear walls 13 or 14 of the pan. There is spring pressure between the curl 16 and fold 23 so that the shield is held in place by friction. So long as the portions 23 of the shield underlie the flanges 16-16 the shield cannot be lifted bodily upwardly from the pan.

For merchandising of the product the paint roller assembly is placed in the pan, and the shield is placed thereover in a position somewhat as illustrated in the drawing. When in this position it effectively prevents removalof the roller from the pan. Any attempt to raise the handle 6 above the top of the front wall 13 is unsuccessful .because the handle 6 or the rod 5 will abut against the shield. Likewise, any attempt to raise the roller above the rear wall 14 will be unsuccessful because the portion 5 will abut against the shield before the roller clears the top of the rear wall 14. Thus, the shield tends to hold the roller in assembly during merchandising of the assembly while exposing the roller and the handle thereof to the view of a prospective purchaser. When it is desired to use the unit for painting purposes, it is merely necessary to slide the shield rearwardly to the position illustrated in' Fig. 4, at which time the roller may be removed from the pan, the necessary amount of paint may be placed in the pan, and then by gripping the handle 6 of the roller it is possible to roll the roller 4 in the struction here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a paint-receiving tray having end retaining walls and side retaining walls, a dip-type paint roller assembly in the tray and including a paint roller between said side walls and adjacent to one end wall of the tray and having a relatively long handle extending from said roller to adjacent to the opposite end Wall of the tray, a retaining band on the tray adjacent to and overlying said roller assembly, said band being narrow relative to the length of the roller handle and spaced from said one end wall, said band having a portion which is in the path of movement of the paint roller handle out of the tray from the handle containing end of the tray to prevent removal of the same from the tray, said band portion also being in the path of movement of the paint roller assembly out of the tray from the paint roller containing end of the tray to prevent removal of same from the latter tray end, and said band being movable into a position at one end of the tray where the band acts as an anti-splash shield, the distance between said band when in said tray end covering position being sufiicient to bring the band out of the path of movement of the roller handle when the same is being moved out of the tray and also sufficient to permit the roller to be rolled into said tray end beneath the band.

2. In combination, a paint-receiving tray having end retaining walls and side retaining walls, a dip-type paint roller assembly in the tray and including a paint roller extending between and contiguous to said side walls and adjacent to one end wall of the tray and having a relatively long handle extending from said roller to adjacent to the opposite end wall of the tray, and a retaining band extending between said side walls and including means holding the band in position on said tray, said band being narrow relative to the length of the roller handle and spaced from said one end wall an amount to expose the rollerjsaid band having a portion contiguous to the handle and which is in the path of movement of the paint roller handle out of the tray from the handle containing end of the tray to prevent removal of the same from the tray, said band portion also being in the path of movement of the paint roller handle out of the tray from the paint roller containing'end of the tray to prevent removal of same from the latter tray end, and said band being movable into a position at one end of the tray where the band acts as an anti-splash shield, the distance between said band when in said tray end covering position being sufiicient to bring the band out of the path of movement of the roller handle when the same is being moved out of the tray and also sufficient to permit the roller to be rolled into said tray end beneath the band.

3. In combination, a paint-receiving tray having end retaining walls and side retaining walls, a dip-type paint roller assembly in the tray and including a rotatable paint roller extending between said side walls adjacent one end wall of the tray and a relatively long handle extending from said roller toward the opposite end of the tray, a retaining band extending between said side walls and spaced from said one tray end wall, said band having a portion above said handle which portion is in all possible paths of movement of the paint roller handle out of the tray from said opposite tray end to prevent removal of same from the tray, and also being in all possible paths of movement of the paint roller assembly out of the tray from the paint roller containing end of the tray to prevent removal of same from the tray, said hand being movable into a position at one end of the tray where the band acts as an anti-splash shield, and the distance between said band when in said tray end covering position being sufiicient to bring the band out of the path of movement of the roller handle when the same is being moved out of the tray and also sufficient to permit the roller to be rolled into said latter tray end beneath the band.

4. In combination, a paint-receiving tray containing a dip-type roller assembly having a paint roller and a handle, said tray having means for retaining the paint roller assembly in the tray comprising a relatively narrow member mounted across the sides of the tray and spaced from the tray bottom and from the tray ends an amount which prevents removal of the paint roller assembly from the tray, said member being movable to one end of the tray where it engages the tray end and side walls to provide an anti-splash cover for said one tray end, thedistance between the bottom of the member and the bottom of the tray when said member is in said tray end covering position being suflicient to permit the roller to be rolls-t. into and out of the covered end beneath the member, and the member and tray having cooperating means for retaining the member in either of said two positions.

5. In combination, a paint-receiving tray having longitudinal side walls and an end wall, the depth of the tray gradually and progressively increasing lengthwise of the tray toward said end wall, a dip-type paint roller assembly in said tray which roller assembly includes a rotatably mounted, cylindrical paint-absorbent roller adjacent to said end wall, the axis of rotation thereof extending across the tray side walls, and a handle extending lengthwise of the tray, and means retaining the paint roller assembly in the tray comprising a plate extending between the tray side walls and spaced from both ends of the tray and having depending walls which straddle and slidably mount the plate on the side walls of the tray, the plate being retained in any adjusted position thereof by frictional engagement between the depending plate walls and the tray side walls, and the plate being slidable into a position where it is in contact with the tray end wall and closes off the deep end of the tray to form an anti-splash shield, and said plate in said latter position being spaced from the tray bottom to provide clearance for the passage of the paint roller into and out of the deep end of the tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,472,582 Green June 7, 1949 2,613,859 Boudreau Oct. 14, 1952 2,661,858 Howell Dec. 8, 1953 2,694,825 Touehett et al. Nov. 23, 1954 

